Ramón Urías carried Baltimore’s offense through the dog days of summer while several hitters struggled at the dish.
Ramòn Urías reported to spring training last March without a guaranteed roster spot. Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg were both locks after successful rookie debuts. Top prospect Jackson Holliday was knocking on the door after a remarkable minor league season, and Baltimore extended spring training invitations to several veteran infielders.
Urías and Jorge Mateo both represented quality depth, but it was unclear whether Baltimore would carry multiple utility players. Mateo featured game-changing speed, strong numbers against lefties, and a more recent track record at shortstop.
The Orioles ultimately elected to carry both Urías and Mateo on the big league roster. Jackson Holliday began the season at Triple-A, and the Birds even found room for Tony Kemp. Urías started the opener at third base, Mateo played second, and Jordan Westburg served as the designated hitter against the Angels.
Unfortunately, Urías struggled out of the gate. The former Gold Glover slashed a below-average .174/.192/.261 over his first 17 games in March and April. The calls for Holliday grew louder, and Urías drew the spotlight after Kemp’s early DFA.
While Urías stumbled, Mateo shined. Mateo carved out a role with a .256/.326/.410 over the same period. Holliday struggled in his first go at the bigs, but the Orioles knew he would figure things out eventually.
Urías bounced back with a .318/.400/.500 slash line during limited action in May, but he still felt like a player that could be squeezed off the 26-man roster. The 30-year-old reached the All-Star break slashing .233/.304/.377 line with 4 homers and 12 RBIs.
Urías continued to grind, and the results finally came during the dog days of summer. The righty slashed .341/.463/.477 over 18 games in July. The Orioles lost Mateo, Westburg, and Ryan Mountcastle to injury, and Urías picked up the slack.
The average dipped in August, but Urías tallied five homers and 17 RBIs. The former waiver claim helped offset the loss of production from the injured trio and a dip in totals from guys like Adley Rutschman and Holliday.
Unfortunately, the injury bug eventually came for Urías. The righty missed three weeks after spraining his ankle on August 31.
Thinking back to last offseason, it’s difficult to image the Orioles eagerly awaiting the return of Ramòn Urías to provide a spark in the postseason. Mountcastle, Urías, and Westburg all returned in time for the playoffs, but the bats went quiet in two games against the Royals.
Still, Urías showed why Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde kept the infielder on the roster. At a minimum, he’s a solid bench bat that can handle an extended workload at any given time. He crushed lefties at a .295/.337/.500 clip, and he could likely still handle shortstop in a pinch.
Looking ahead, Baltimore faces the same dilemma as last year but with a higher price tag. Urías settled at $2.1 million last season before facing arbitration. It’s difficult to argue that the infieder did not earn a raise.
Mateo avoided arbitration in 2024 at $2 million. He still holds the speed advantage, and the Orioles likely prefer his defense at shortstop. MLB Trade Rumors projects both players to earn just north of $3 million for next year.
In a world where the Dodgers just spent a quarter billion to win the World Series, $6 million for a pair of contributors should be feasible. It’s unclear to what extent David Rubenstein will open his pockets, but the Orioles definitely have the money to bring back the pair. The real question is whether they have the roster spots.
Coby Mayo currently ranks as Baltimore’s top prospect. Mayo may eventually settle at first base, but the Orioles still have Ryan O’Hearn and Mountcastle under contract for next season. Mayo’s defense still needs tuned, but the 22-year-old certainly possesses higher upside at the plate compared to Urías.
Emmanuel Rivera performed well enough to earn a postseason roster spot, and Livan Soto remains on the 40-man roster. Urías, Mateo and Rivera are all out of options.
Nevertheless, Urías proved he can help the Orioles win games. Baltimore should tender Urías a contract, and the righty should hold a spot on the Opening Day roster barring a trade.
Previous 2024 player reviews: Keegan Akin, Cionel Pérez, Cole Irvin, Ryan O’Hearn, Craig Kimbrel, Cade Povich, midseason position player acquisitions, Jackson Holliday, injured starting pitchers, James McCann, midseason pitching acquisitions, Jorge Mateo, Yennier Cano, Dean Kremer, Albert Suárez, Ryan Mountcastle, Anthony Santander, Jacob Webb, Grayson Rodriguez
Monday: Danny Coulombe